Apparatus for cleaning oil wells



Feb. 7, 1928.

J. WIESMAN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING OIL WELLS Filed Jan. 2. 1926 Patented F el). 7, 1928A. y

UNITED STATES JEROME WIESMAN, F DENVER, COLORADO.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING OIL WELLS.

Application led January 2, 1926. Serial No. 78,992.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for cleaning oil wells.

llt is well known to those versed in the art of oil production that only a small part of the actual amount ot' oil present in the ground is recovered. This is due to the fact that the wells clog up or become sealedby reason of paraiiine or asphaltum hardening on Vthe inner surfaces of the walls and closing up the pores whereby the oil present in the surrounding material is prevented from Howing into the well.

T am aware that many ditlerent methods have been proposed for removing the parane that seals the wells among which may he mentioned the introduction ot' heat in sulicient amounts to melt the paratline so as to ermit it to be removed by pumping or otherwise. The use of heat for the purpose ot cleaning wells seems to be the one method that holds out the greatest prospects for success and it is to the improvements in apparatus tor carrying out such a method that this invention is directed.

l have found that in order to successfully remove parane by means ot' heat it is quite important that the contents of the well should be agitated so as todrive the heat carrying material towards the walls of the well and to maintain the contents under pressure. l have therefore invented an apparatus that can be used to carry out `such a method in a satisfactory way.

My improved apparatus and the combination ot elements embodied therein can best he described when reference is had to the accompanying drawing which shows the preterred embodiment of my invention and in which:

Fig.. 1 is a vertical-section through a well showing my apparatus in place therein;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2 2, Fig. Il showing parts of my invention to an enlar ed scale; and,

ig.. 3 is a section taken on line 3--3,

Fig. 2.

` umeral l represents the surface of the ound and 2 a well whose lowerend has een enlarged so as to form a chamber 3. Wells of this type are usually lined with a metal casing which has been designated by numerals l and 4a. f

In applying my apparatus to the well I secure a langed'coupling member 5 to the upper end of the casing section 4 and secure to this a plate 6. This plate is provided with tour holes or openings for the reception of a 'pressure gauge 7, a safety or poppet valve 8,

a steam pipe 9 and an outlet pipe 10. The steam pipe has its upper end connected to the boiler 11 and is provided with a control valve 12. Secured to the lower end of the steam pipe 9 by means of a coupling 13 is a connector 14 whose interior and exterior diameters are respectively the same as those of the pipe 9. This connector has an annular collar l which serves as a support or bearing for the rotary repulsion distributer 16 which will presently be described. A. threaded ring 17 serves to hold the distributer in place. The distributer 16 is constructed in the same manner as the distrbuter 16a'that is shown in section in Fig. 3 but is reversed so that it will rotate in the opposite direction. Each of these distributers has a hub portion 18 provided with an annular groove 19 which is in communication with the interior of. the connector through the holes 20. Each distributer 16 and 16a has four or more arms 2l whose outer ends are curved in the manner indicated at 22 in Fig. 3. The ends 22 ot' the upper distributer are curved in the opposite direction from those of the lower so that they will rotate in opposite directions when steam flows outwardly through the hollow arms 21. The lower end of the connector 14 is internally threaded in the manner indicated by numeral 23 for the reception of a pipe 24 to whose lower end a connector 14a is connected. This connector is substantially identical with the distributer 14 and has its lower end closed by a plug 25. A ring 26 rests upon the upper end ot' the coupling 13 and asimilar ring 27 is clamped between the flange of the connector 16a and the head'of the Aplug and these rings are connected by a plurality of rods 28 that form a cage within which the distributers 16 and 16a rotate and which protectthese distributers against injury while they are inserted and removed.

The device operates as follows: Let us assume that the parts are assembled in the manner shown and that steam at a pressure of about one hundred pounds per square inch is being generated in the boiler 11; let us now open the valve 12 so that steam may iow downwardly through the pipe 9. A part of this steam will flow outwardly through the hollow arms 21 of the distributer 16 and another part will flow outwardly through the corresponding arms of the diS- pounds per square inc h or thereabouts, measured by the gauge 7 the supply is adjusted so as to maintain this pressure. sure is inadvertently increased beyond the desired value, the safety valve 8 operates to relieve it. As lon as the pressure is maintained in the we the parts are kept hot and will soon melt or dissolve objectionable sealing material such as paraiine. The water of condensation and oil from the. well will soon reach a level above the lower end of the pipe 10 and the valve'29 in the outlet pipe `can now be opened. The pressurewithin the casing will cause liquid to rise in pipe 10 and to ilow outwardly which makes it possible to determine the progress made in the cleaning operation by the composition of the liquid exhausted. By varying the length of the pipe 10 the depth at which the sample liquid is obtained can be determined. This is very important as it makes it possible to determine how far the operation has proceeded at any time. When the operation has been carried on until the paraine has melted the pumpin operation may' be commenced. I also esire to call attention to the -fact that it is possible to insert the pump pipes without withdrawing the steam pipa 9 which may be left in place. This makes it possible to simultaneously heat the contents of the well and to continue pumping. this manner the danger of clogging the pump with paraliine is obviated.

-I desire to lay emphasis upon the fact that by virtue of my improved construction no loss of steam can result since the top of the casing is closed, until the maximum pressure is attained and the safety valve opens. Hence, the steam effective for use with my improvement is always maintained at the desired pressure to perform the function required. 1

Having now described my invention what I claim as new is:

A rotary steam distributin device for cleaning oil wells comprising a ollow member (14) having an outwardly extending cylindrical flange (15), an externally threaded portion a s iort distance above said flange, a threaded ring (17) secured to the threaded portion, a cylindrical bearing surface between said flange and said threaded portion, a reaction turbine member (18) rotatably mounted on said cylindrical bearing surface between the flange and the ring, said turbine member having a plurality of hollow radial arms whose ends are curved in the same direction, the interior of said arms being in communication with an annular groove (19), said hollow member having openings (20) through which communication is effected between the interior and the annular oove. 4

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.l

JEROME WIESMAN. 

